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Planet Notion is looking for guys and dolls to film and edit features for its new TV channel, PNTV. Accompanying Notion to artist interviews, gigs, fashion shows, festivals and international events, you will be skilled, passionate and full of ideas about how to produce shit-hot video content. Camera-folk will be experienced and ideally have their own equipment, or at least access to equipment, while editors must be able to turn projects around quickly, and with stylistic flare. If you can both film and edit content, we would especially like to hear from you! These casual, unpaid positions would be ideal for those looking to develop their showreels, and to get the chance to travel, film major artists and top events.
Please email lucy(at)musichqmedia
(dot)com if you’re interested in getting involved, cheers! |
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| Get your life sorted here, Don't get caught looking like your parents or people will think you're from Hoxton. |
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12/09/2007
Imagine being paid to live. Just to live. No more working the 9 to 5, no more manic Mondays, no more living for the weekend… Thanks to 55DSL, this dream is now a possibility. Every year, two appropriately named ‘Lucky Bastards’ will be recruited simply to live. All they have to do is have adventures that will make everybody else jealous, and document them as they go along. They will travel the world for a whole year, take photos, make videos and write blogs. It’s a tough job, but I guess someone’s gotta do it.
This project is just part of 55DSL’s innovative approach to branding: their website www.55dsl.com, for example, is definitely worth checking out. Eschewing the standard product/stockist vibe, the site includes links and interesting news tit-bits from all over the world. One that caught my eye involved some funny little village somewhere in the US of A, where wearing your jeans too low slung may land you a $500 fine, and even, would you believe it, a possible prison sentence. Perhaps they should introduce that here: it would certainly sort out those pesky emo kids who are always milling around the clock tower in my native Crouch End.
Through other initiatives such as collaborations with emerging artists and sponsorship of famous active folk – surfer Joel Tudor, skaters Tony Hawk and Steve Berra and snowboarder Lukas Huffman, among others – 55DSL has achieved the two (linked) goals that most brands aspire towards: firstly, it has a massive global profile, one which is clear enough and flexible enough to adapt to differing cultures and locales. Where HSBC fails with its slightly nauseating ‘World’s local bank’ schtick, 55DSL actually succeeds by not trying so hard, or so obviously. Secondly, 55DSL has managed, like Abercrombie, to exist, not so much as a company that makes nice casual wear, but as a kind of all-encompassing lifestyle. With their slogan imploring you to ‘Live at least 55 seconds per day,’ 55DSL has set itself up as the brand that represents adventure and an enjoyment of experience. It stands in stark antithesis to dull bland-mines such as Banana Republic or Tommy Hilfiger. Thankfully 55DSL is neither as horribly wholesome as the likes of Abercrombie nor as obsessively all-consuming: this is about more than just polo and six-packs. 55DSL manages to tread that fine line between brilliant brand management and weird obsessive quasi-religion.
But despite all this, 55DSL is not just a good brand with a nice a logo and some clever folk in the marketing department. They also make clothes… I was about to argue that however well a company is branded, the product is the ultimate test, but actually that’s complete nonsense. Just read ‘No Logo’ again, pal. Or consider those brands where the enormity of name and legend work in complete opposition to the actual quality of product (not naming any names, natch – I’m not that bitchy a fashion hack). But let’s just take it as writ that ubiquitous brand does not equate to worthwhile garments – indeed, the (non-Derridean, of course) logo-centrism of many a major brand generally has the effect of producing vulgar, over-the-top design which detracts from the aesthetic of the product before the issue of quality has been reached. Fortunately, 55 are all too aware of the pitfalls and pragmatics of branding game – seems they took my advice to re-read ‘No Logo’. In the desperate, grasping world of streetwear, they’re completely clued-in to what the consumer loves about brands – where name is an attractive persona, a guarantor of those who wear it and a promise of quality (aspects which the wearer naturally hopes will relate to sex appeal, which is of course the main reason for dressing well).
Where does 55DSL’s branding thrust come from, then?First, consider the product itself: each season sees a full casual wear collection throughout which potent graphics combine with relaxed and functional streetwear styling. 55DSL manages to keep its product consistently bold and clear without being brash or excessively logo-centric (not in the Derridean sense, obviously). Polos, hoodies, zip-up tops and tees are crisp and unfussy, whilst lightweight jackets come in relaxed fits. Stripes and prints feature big on tops and dresses and denim comes casual and low-slung (but not criminally so, one hopes). Autumn Winter 07 is no different; design and graphics once more remain the highlight – silhouettes are straightforward, but the graphics run with militaristic iconography and colours to match, both manga-future and 20th century classic. The significance for the brand, however, is how any logo or brand name work in the design is stylistically incorporated. You can trust them for the quality, for the graphics – and you can trust them not to treat you as a walking fucking advertising hoarding.
Is there a reason for this? Origins are telling, of course, as 55DSL began as a younger, experimental off-shoot collection for Diesel, comprised of 55 pieces (55 pieces, DieSeL offshoot – geddit?!?!), and the loose association with one of the world’s biggest brands can’t hurt. However, 55 is forward-looking and we’d be doing a disservice to treat them otherwise – rather than their origins, it is their leader who imbues the label their reliability, authenticity and their cool-as-fuckness. Andrea Rosso, the creative director, knows his branding but loves his graphics – that centrepiece to any 55 garment. In an interview we did with him for the Hipster Handbook, he remarked that, “in terms of graphic, what we’ve always wanted is to show how when you pass someone, you are seen by them. A graphic wants to grab attention. That’s the part we work right on. I think the influence of the new is more a graphic approach, and not for the way you design the pants and the jackets.” Rosso thirsts to be genuine, for quality: “It’s important to stick to a general guideline that you’ll always perform to, a solid base. The market changes so fast that people want a little authenticity.” With such a leader, they’ll be around for awhile; so what of the future? Plans include the Harmonic Distortion Art collaboration and an exhibition of the work of last year’s Lucky Bastards at the 55DSL store just off Carnaby Street. Which reminds me: I’m off to apply for the position of ‘Lucky Bastard.’ See you in a year, people…
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| tags: 55dsl | travel | blog | carnaby street | authenticity |
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